The Desert Fox
by EmeraldHope
Summary: Alex O'Connell's Parents went out of town on a summer expedition. He got left in the care of his younger Nanny. They get a mysterious visiter in the dead of night. Rate T for mentions of death and other things, depending on where the story goes.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay I wrote this on a whim. I wasn't going to share it. Please tell me what you think.**

"What do you think you are doing!" Alex heard a voice said behind him.

He quickly turned around leaving the picks in the lock. "Nothin'." He said causally.

He saw his best friends older sister. Even though she was in collage and American, she was all right.

Her hand was on her hips, her lips were in a slight smile. Her strait long milk-chocolate hair was in two braids, and her stormy gray eyes sparkled with amusement.

Taylor smiled and looked at the teen. His dark brown hair was devilish like he woke up and ran his hand through it. His eyes, that matched his eyes, were looking daringly into her eye.

"Oh yeah nothing, just trying to break into museum office." Taylor said sarcastically.

He shrugged, "Why not. I am bored."

She sighed, "Summer boredom the worst thing that can happen. I know, do you need a ride home? I am heading that way to use your mom's library."

He shrugged, "why not"

"Awesome," Taylor said. They walked to her car.

"You really need a new car." Alex said with his nose scrunched. He looked at the old rusty truck.

"It gets me where I need to go, and it hasn't broke down on me yet. It is not pretty." She admitted, "but whatever."

"You really don't care at all about appearance do you?"

Taylor looked down at her raggedy clothes. "No not really, waste of time."

"One of the things I love about you." Alex said sweetly.

She laughed, "Save it, slick. You are wasting your time."

"What?" Alex said in fake surprise and innocents.

"I can't 'babysit' you while your parents go on a expedition."

He groaned, "but it is either you or Mrs. Heperton, and you are not old and lame."

Taylor smirked. "I am glad I am not old and lame."

"Pleeeeeeeeeeeeease," he pleaded.

"No I am too young to look after you alone."

"Mom and Dad trust you too." Alex said desperately

"Here we are!" She said cheerfully. Taylor turned on to the long drive way.

"I will make you a deal. If you watch me I will let you pick any thing out of my treasures." His treasures were a small collection of small things his parents let him keep from their expositions.

Her eyes widened. "Even the Egyptian puzzle box."

He smiled knowing he had gotten her. He nodded.

"Darn you." Taylor glared as she parked the truck.

"Yes!" Alex got out of the car and ran to the house.

She followed him into the house.

"Really?" Evelyn asked her son.

As Taylor entered the room Evelyn asked, "did you really agree, Taylor?"

"Yes ma'am."

Evy's eyes narrowed. "Did he bribe you."

Taylor didn't want to lie to her but she wanted the box. "No he is just gifted with stubbornness and is good at arguing."

"Hey!" Alex said, "I am no more stubborn than you."

Taylor shrugged, "That is true"

*****************%%%%%******************

It had been two days since Evy and Rick left. There were a few hiccups. This time it was checking in his room at around midnight and finding he wasn't in his room. She remembered he asked about a party, but she wouldn't let him go. She had to drive over and get him. She found him snoging a bleached blond skimpy girl and he was drunk. She found the source of the music knowing Alex wouldn't listen to her. She turned it off.

There were many complaints, but she Announced, "I will play the music and not call the police if you kick out Alex O'Connell from the party!"

She picked him up on the sidewalk where he got shoved out. "Come on slick, I already called the police. We would get in so much trouble if you got caught too, but you already in a lot of trouble."

"Okay," he slurred

Taylor half carried him to the truck and pull him in the back. "If you through-up you have to clean it up."

Alex asked "Have you ever been drunk?"

She started to drive as she said, "nope, Dad is a reformed alcoholic and my mom has a hard time putting wine down, so I am not going to start."

He giggled "I don't feel good"

After a long car ride he through up and then passed out. She dragged him into the house. She got him to the couch and set him on it.

As she went to get the trashcan from under the desk she saw a book on it but she swore she left it open. Instead the book was closed. She heard someone cock a gun behind her she grabbed the pistol that she knew was under the desk and quickly whipped around to the figure that made the noise.

The figure also had a weapon pointed as her.

"Who are you?" The mysterious shadowy figure asked.

"The nanny, and you?" Taylor asked.

"You are a little young." He said in a strange accent Taylor couldn't recognize. avoiding her question.

"I am 21. Again I ask who are you?"

"I am a friend of the Family he said coming into the light. She saw tattoos on his cheeks and weird traditional clothes.

"Ardeth?" Taylor asked in awe.

"What, how did you know." He said slightly confused.

She put the gun back under the table and grabbed the trashcan and carried it over to where Alex laid.

"Evelyn told me mummy stories. I have helped her write them down for a book she wants to start."

"And you believed them?" He asked even more confused.

She grabbed a towel and started cleaning Alex off. "Why not, ugh he is going to be cleaning all the windows as punishment." She took of his puke covered shirt off. "And all the book cases too."

Taylor put the shirt on the floor. "Can you put the gun down."

"No, how do I know I can trust you?" Ardeth asked.

She shrugged, "You don't, but Mr. O'Connell wouldn't just trust anyone with the story. plus, you are two times my size."

He regarded these surprisingly good points, and put down the gun.

"How do you know you can trust me?"

She smiled widely, "According to the stories the O'Connell's tell you wouldn't hurt me with out a reason, but other than that, I have no clue. But now to the more pressing question why are you here."

"I was in London for business, and I ran into some trouble, so I came here. But that was a mistake."

Taylor shrugged, "I can't kick you out, so stick around and restock leave when ever you want to and ... HOLY FREAKIN WORD YOUR ARM!"

He grimaced "You have strong lungs."

"Your whole arm is bleeding. He looked down at the blood stained garment."

"You better sit down, and I will get the first aid box." He sat down in the couch that didn't contain drunken Alex. Ardeth looked around the big house. Alex would have a lot of trouble tomorrow with all the windows to clean. He thought with amusement. He might stay just to watch her make him.

She came back looking like she ran to get it and back. "Can you take off you clothes to where I can get your injuries." Plural injuries Ardeth noted. This girl is very observant. He took of the top of his garment as he asked. "I never did catch you name."

"It is Taylor," She said as she tended to his wounds.

"Taylor," he tested it out. It sounded weird with his accent. Taylor thought differently. It made her name sound sexy. She blushed at the thought. She hoped he didn't notice, but he did.

Ardeth slightly smiled which quickly turned into a grimace of pain. "I'm sorry." Taylor said quickly and concerned. She couldn't concentrate though. He was just so attractive, and had amazing muscles. No She thought to herself, think, he is hurt.

Taylor concentrated on his arm injuries. "You really got your self beat up, didn't you. You are lucky the bullet went strait through your arm and didn't hit any bone."

"You are not going to ask what happened?" Ardeth asked curiosity.

The tip of her mouth curved up. "You are not going to tell me what happen, so what is the point?"

This girl is strange he thought. No wonder they trust her.

After she cleaned his wounds and wrapped them she took him too a room.

"Make your self at home. There are some extra clothes in the drawers. They will probably fit. Good night."

"Thank you." Ardeth said gratefully.

Taylor smiled and left.

**If I get some positive feed back I will give the second Chapter.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I know I have some readers, but no reviewers. Have this chapter. I am still working on my other story so the next chapter might not be for a while.**

In the morning Ardeth found Taylor didn't move Alex from the couch. He looked around for the kitchen. His stomach growled. His shirt was washed on the table. He looked for something to eat

Taylor dragged her self out of bed because something smelled good. She stumbled into the kitchen rubbing her eyes. "Do I smell bacon?"

"Yes," he said amusement very apparent in his voice.

"Well you are a morning person." Taylor said still have asleep."

"Yes and I see you are not."

"You have no idea, I will patch up your shirt later, but I would like you to stay at least until tomorrow because I do not want the bullet wound to open up again." Taylor sat down at the table and put her head on the table.

"Yes ma'am," he said again amused.

He looks at her. She is wearing the same clothes as yesterday and long was mess up. He probably looked worse than she did.

Taylor got two pans that he wasn't using and smiled manically, "It is time to wake up Alex." She laughed.

Ardeth shook his head. She is like a fox, Clever and sly.

Taylor waked to the couch Alex was snoring on. She banged the pan together multiple times. Alex jumped and landed on the floor. Taylor put here hands on her hips and shouted. "TIME TO GET UP!"

Alex covered his ears, "Not so loud. My head is killing me."

"That's what you get for getting drunk. You made me freak out and to top it off you disobeyed me! I said no party! I bet now your wishing you had Mrs. Old and lame. "she said.

"I am sorry I made you worry."

Taylor's eyes softened. "Thank you, but that still doesn't get you out of trouble."

Alex groaned.

"Nice try slick. I will tell you your punishment later. First, we will eat. She helped him up. He was a little but he made it to the breakfast table, while she went to go clean up.

Ardeth put a plate in front of him, "Did she tell you punishment?" Ardeth said.

Alex shoved food in his mouth and said, "No, how bad is it?"

Ardeth smiled, "You might be busy all day."

Alex groaned again. "She is a slave driver!"

Ardeth smiled, "I think she-"

Ardeth was interrupted by a terrified scream, "ALEX! "

Both of the guys scrambled toward the voice. They found her in the library on top of a bookcase. "YOUR MONSTER PYTHON IS OUT OF ITS CAGE!" They see the python on the ground.

"I am sorry." He said concerned. He whispered to Ardeth "Her sister was killed by a rattler."

Alex took the python to his room.

"Please come down." Ardeth asked.

Taylor looked down at him. She is really high up Ardeth though.

Taylor carefully jumped down. "I-I-I will go... Umm"

She was trebling. Ardeth put his hand on her arm. "I am sorry."

Taylor lets out a harsh bark of laughter. "About what?" She shakes her head, and smiles. "I am fine, and hungry." She walked out. A very strange girl.

They finished their breakfast and Alex started washing the windows. Ardeth was washing the dishes and Taylor started mending his clothes.

The rest of the morning was pretty quiet, until someone knocked of the door. Taylor answered it.

She saw two boys both of them were younger than her. "Can I help you?"

"We need to talk to Alex." The taller one said.

The other one snickered "Yeah, talk." They both smirked.

"Well I am sorry. He is busy." She tried to shut the door, but one pushed his way through.

"No, we need to see him."

"You need to leave!" Taylor exclaimed.

"What are you going to do about it, braids." The taller one said as he grabbed her hair and started yanking.

"Get off!" Taylor slapped his hand, but he just pulled harder. Taylor bit her lip so she didn't give him the satisfaction. She didn't do any thing knowing he would pull harder.

"What, nothing to say." He teased.

She kicked him where it hurts.

He screamed in agony. Taylor scrambled for a sword that was near by and pointed it as his neck, and smiled sweetly. "Please leave."

"You wouldn't do it." He challenged.

"No, but I would." Ardeth said leaning on the doorframe. "In fact why use a knife I could do it with my bear hands." He pushed off the doorframe. "I have killed many men, but I am hesitating because you are only a boy." He walked over to the boys and looked threateningly in to their terrified eyes. "Now do what she say and leave." The boys scrambled out of the open door, and ran.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

Taylor smiled, "Yep, Thank you."

"My pleasure, little fox." Slipped out before be released what he had said.

"Fox?" She asked in surprise.

"That is what you remind me of. A clever little fox."

They heard laughing in the hall. "That actually fits!"

Taylor's cheeks started turning slightly pink. "I still can't decide if that is a bad thing or a good thing."

That just made Alex laugh harder, "You're- you're blushing!" That just made her blush even more.

"Shut you mouth or you will be cleaning the bookshelves."

"The top half of the body came after me." Ardeth told her. "It was very hard to fight in a moving bus. It knocked my gun out of my hand before I could do a thing." Taylor was intently listening, occasionally writing something down. Ardeth was a really good storyteller. He told of his adventures with the O'Connell's and some of his adventures in the desert. And before long in was far into the afternoon.

"I have to go to the store to get milk and some other random items. Does any one want to go with me to help me?" Taylor asked.

Alex suddenly became very interested in the book he was reading. "Oh come on Alex, you need to get out of the house."

"Then drop me off at your brothers house."

"No, you can go but you have to ride a bike there and back and be back before dinner. Ardeth I assume you don't want to be seen in public, yes?"

"I do not think going to the store will do any harm, besides I don't not want to be left alone in this house."

"Okay then."

They all left the house. Taylor was driving in the awkward silence until Taylor broke it with casual conversation about legends and myths of the desert.

Through their conversations, Taylor learned that Ardeth had a dry sense of humor that really made her laugh. He was a gentleman always holding the doors for her and offering to carry her groceries. He was smart and mostly straightforward with what he said and did. He was patient Ardeth learned that it was easy to make her laugh. Taylor was kind to almost every one she meets. She was smart but sometimes scatter brained. She would say the most observant things and then almost forget half the groceries. It wasn't until the next day that the peace was brutally interrupted.


End file.
